Chapter 4
1 John 2:7-13
1 John 2:7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
The apostle John has often been referred to as the “apostle of love” since he wrote extensively on the subject and we all know “for God so loved…” (see John 3:16). John also wants us to know that love is perhaps the foremost important aspect or preeminent mark of a genuine believer. John uses the term for the highest form of love, often referred to as an unconditional love, that being the Greek word ‘agape’. He uses it 18 times in this epistle alone (that’s more than any other book in the New Testament and four more than what he used in hs gospel account).
John says he is writing no new commandment but an old commandment that we have already heard and know. The command to love God and to love others has its roots in the Old Testament, something we have all heard. In the last chapter we learned that Jesus referred to two of these verses (see Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:34-40 and Mark 12:28-34). John also refers several times to ‘new commandments’ (see John 13:34-35; 1 John 2:24; 3:11 and 2 John 5-6).
Upon casually reading, this text we could easily get confused, an old but new commandment, so which is it? What is different now, what makes it new? The commandment to love others may have been taught in the Old Testament but we now have a fresh perspective with greater vitality than ever before, why? Because the darkness is passing away and the true light (Jesus) is already shining (read Romans 13:12; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5). Loving God and loving others is now a lot easier and far more effective with Jesus’ victory on the cross now completed and His ever-present love shining in and through us for others to see (read John 1:9 and 8:12).
John now helps us understand this truth by applying it to our everyday living. He says that if a believer says that he is in the light (such as call themselves a Christian) but hates his brother (Greek word ‘adelphon’ can refer to people of the same country, a fellow man, a fellow believer, etc.) that person is still in darkness. Believers should not say or believe one way and then act in a different way. John goes on to say that, “whoever loves his brother abides in the light” and there is nothing in that person that will cause them to stumble. The phrase, “cause for stumbling” is one Greek word, ‘skandalon’ (where we get the English word ‘scandal’) which is most often translated as “stumbling block.” This is when ideas, misinterpretation, or misinformation causes people to stumble, for example many of the Jews in the time of Christ believed that the Messiah would save them from the rule of Rome preventing them to understand why Jesus was not a king or a warrior (read John 11:10; Proverbs 4:19 and 2 Peter 1:10). This Greek word comes from the name of the triggering device used to close a door in an animal trap. The Christian songwriter, composer and author, Michael Card wrote a song entitled “Scandalon” whose lyrics capture the meaning and the Biblical use of the term.
SCANDALON[1]
Lyrics by Michael Card
The seers and the prophets had foretold it long ago.
That the long awaited one would make men stumble.
But they were looking for a king to conquer and to kill.
Who'd have ever thought He'd be so meek and humble.
Chorus
He will be the truth that will offend them one and all.
A stone that makes men stumble and a rock that makes them fall.
Many will be broken so that He can make them whole.
And many will be crushed and lose their own soul.
Along the path of life there lies a stubborn Scandalon.
And all who come this way must be offended.
To some He is a barrier; to others He's the way.
For all should know the scandal of believing.
(chorus)
It seems today the Scandalon offends no one at all.
The image we present can be stepped over.
Could it be that we are like the others long ago.
Do we ever learn that all who come must stumble?
(chorus sung twice)
1 John 2:11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Similar to the two tests presented in verses 3-6 (see previous chapter), if a Christian in any way hates their brother then they are still in darkness, in other words, they don’t know Jesus and they have no idea where they are going. John says the darkness has blinded their eyes. You might ask how can someone be blinded by darkness, actually this is not much of a stretch as we have all experienced bright light after our eyes have adjusted to darkness but that is not what is being said, the word for darkness is the Greek word ‘typhoz’ meaning to blunt mental discernment or to darken the mind.
False teachers in John’s time claimed that “higher knowledge” of the divine was necessary for salvation. This attitude created a prideful and arrogant behavior that quickly separated the “informed thinkers” from the common people. While they were always seeking and pursuing some new critical idea or information and thought that everyone else was just wasting their time, they would never associate with anyone that was beneath them. John pointed the error in their thinking by explaining that true believers would possess a supernatural and unconditional love for others. If they did not have true love for others, and just ignored them, they weren’t in any way enlightened; they were actually residing in darkness. John is saying that the ultimate proof of God’s love is by seeing how that love externally manifests itself in each believer, typically through a transformation of lifestyle (change in priorities) and the presence of humility, all of which should be clearly visible.
1 John 2:12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
Beginning with verse 12, John calls our attention to three groups, each with a different Spiritual growth or maturity level. The first group is called ‘children’ and these are typically new Christians, however some Christians choose to never grow and may remain spiritually immature for many years. The next level John calls ‘young men’, these are those that have a basic understanding of the truth of the Bible but may still be influenced by false teaching. The third group is known as ‘fathers’, this group is the most mature and these are believers that have matured past the “knowledge of God” to the “knowing of God” personally. John is not trying to attach gender, age, or any other kind of qualifier to these levels, they are just titles.
He starts off with little children (same word found in the first verse of this chapter referring to offspring regardless of age, as we are all children of God, see John 13:33, Galatians 4:19, 28). John says he is writing to them to let them know that their sins are forgiven for His (Jesus’) sake. As new Christians, after understanding that they are indeed sinners, can be forgiven by accepting the free gift of salvation from Jesus Christ (see Luke 24:47; Acts 10:43; 13:38). Note that John uses the phrase, “forgiven for His name’s sake.” Jesus does not forgive us because we are worthy or have done something to merit this incredible gift; He does so because He said He would! He is doing it for His reputation, but more importantly, He is doing it because He wants you to be with Him for all eternity. How could we trust Jesus for our salvation if something could change His mind or prevent Him from providing eternal life with Him? We can trust and know that we are going to be saved because He said so! Remember from chapter one, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, ESV)
Regarding the name of God, the Bible has a number of references to His name (see Deuteronomy 28:59; Nehemiah 9:5; Psalm 8:1 and Isaiah 42:8) and for His name’s sake (see Psalms 25:11; 79:8-9; 106:7-8; 109:21; Isaiah 48:9 and Romans 1:5 for a few examples). Luke would remind us that, “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12b, ESV)
John next tells the fathers that he is writing because they know Him who was from the beginning. These mature believers have grown to understand not only the Word of God but have grown to know God intimately. Next, he tells the young men that the reason he is writing is because they have overcome the evil one. Through understanding the Word of God these “young men” now know that their sins no longer control them and that they are free from the influence of the devil.
John returns to the children, however, he uses a different word referring to them being very young children. He says they know the Father, just like a small child may know who their parents are and that they provide for them, but not much knowledge beyond that.
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[1] Card, Michael (1985), Scandalon [Recorded by Michael Card]. On Scandalon [Vinyl, CD, Album]. Brentwood, Tennessee: Sparrow Records.